QUESTIONS REGARDING MARRIAGE AND ANSWERS GIVEN BY REV. BILLY GRAHAM (TAKEN FROM A BOOK)

Q: I really want to get married, but I haven't found anyone, and now I'm beginning to wonder if I ever will. Maybe I'm getting panicky, but I'm tempted to go on the Internet and sign up for one of those dating services. Do you think that would be a good idea? — D.W.

A: Dear D.W.,
One of the most important decisions you'll ever make is your decision about the person you will marry. Almost every day I get at least one letter from someone who rushed blindly into marriage and has lived to regret it. I pray you won't make that mistake.

That's why the most important advice I can give you is for you to turn this very important area of your life over to God. God loves you, and He knows what is best for you. More than that, He knows your needs and He knows who the person is with whom you should spend the rest of your life. The Bible's words apply to this area of your life as well as everything else that affects you: "As for God, his way is perfect" (Psalm 18:30).

Begin by making sure of your relationship with Jesus Christ. If you've never done so, turn to Him in repentance and faith, and invite Him into your life today. Then turn this area of your life over to Him, and ask Him to direct your path. The Bible says, "Come ... let us walk in the light of the Lord" (Isaiah 2:5).

While some may find happiness through the Internet, let me urge you instead to get involved in a church where Christ is preached and lived. You are much more likely to meet the person of God's choice there—someone who will not only love you, but with whom you can serve God.

Q: My fiancé and I are getting married next month, and I wonder if you have any advice to give us. We've gotten lots of advice from people, but I'm not sure how much of it is right, and we'd like to hear what you have to say. By the way, how long have you been married? — N.G.

A: Dear N.G.,
Ruth and I were married in 1943, and I will always be grateful for the many years God has given us together. Even in this latter part of our lives, our love for each other continues to grow stronger. I often think of God's words before He created Eve to be Adam's wife: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" (Genesis 2:18). Through the years, Ruth has been this to me—and more.

There is much I could say—but the most important advice I could ever give you is to make Christ the center and the foundation of your life together. Ruth has often said that a good marriage actually takes three people: the husband, the wife—and God. Make sure of your commitment to Christ, and make His love the heartbeat of your marriage.

What difference can Christ make in your marriage? First, He will give you a new love for each other—a love based not on your own selfish needs and desires, but on what you can do to help each other. This type of love—the type Christ has for us—will make you kind and considerate, instead of demanding or harsh.

In addition, Christ will help you stay pure and committed to each other, because you know He brought you together and is always with you. Jesus said, "Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Matthew 19:6).

Q: I don't think my husband has a clue what love is all about. He says he loves me, but to be honest he loves sitting in front of the TV watching sports or going fishing with his buddies more than he loves me. Should I just call it quits and start over? — Mrs. W.M.

A: Dear Mrs. W.M.,

 I sincerely hope you won't give up on your marriage, but that you will do all you can to renew and rebuild it. And I believe it can be restored, with God's help—because God cares for you and wants your marriage to be strong.

In your view, your husband doesn't understand what love is—and perhaps you are right, at least up to a point. But could the same be true of you? Don't misunderstand me; I know things haven't been easy for you, and you aren't to blame for everything that has gone wrong. But have you been willing to go out of your way to assure him of your love, and to put your love into action?

You see, love isn't just an emotion; it also involves our wills, and it involves action. The greatest enemy of love is selfishness, and if there has been any hint of that in your own heart, I pray you will face it and repent of it. The Bible says, "Love is patient, love is kind. ... It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

Begin by committing your life—and your marriage—to Jesus Christ. Then ask God to help you renew your marriage by acting in love toward your husband. Most of all, ask God to help you both put Christ first in your lives, because the closer you get to Christ, the closer you will be to each other. 

DO NOT WORRY, FINANCIAL SITUATIONS WILL CHANGE - - MSG BY BRO. MOHAN C LAZARUS (TAKEN FROM A SPIRITUAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE)

ANSWER FOR OPEN VIEW - 1 (POSTED ON MARCH 18, 2013)

QUESTION ASKED:

“The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” – Genesis 2:18

GOD found a suitable helper for Adam in Eve. In-fact she was made from one of the rib of Adam according to Genesis 2:22.  Well you can even call it a marriage made in heaven as GOD directly intervened and formed this couple. But all of us know what happened in the End.  Eve was used as a tool for the failure of Adam to obey God’s will.

God only gave Eve to be with Adam then what was the reason for same Eve to become a hindrance for Adam's blessing? So what went wrong? Where did it all start?

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WHAT I FEEL?

It’s true that Lord has made a suitable helper for Adam and united them. The reason I feel for the reason of the fall of both Adam and eve was:

1. PRIORITY CHANGE

In the lives of everyone there exists God’s plan. When we overpower that and walk according to our own will we will surely fall in sin. When God created Adam and Eve, His plan included Himself and both of them. That is the reason I believe that God never mentioned about the serpent (devil). Devil was never included in God’s plan and so God never bothered about him.

God’s plan includes a) God at the most priority b) Adam c) Eve

But what Eve did was so different. Because of the desire of her own will she brought in devil to the existing plan. Her plan was a) Devil at the most priority b) Eve c) Adam. In the self plan of Eve, God was never included.

Adam approves that plan by following the words of Eve. That is the reason they failed to uphold the commandment of the Lord.

You might marry a girl according to God’s will but yet you should follow God’s plan all through your life. If you are your life partner alter the priority given by God, surely your marriage life will never bring glory to God. So always give priority to God and His words in your life. Only then your life will be a blessing to others.

2. DISOBEYING GOD’S WORD

I have heard people saying that Eve was the primary reason for the fall of mankind into sin. But if we read the Bible clearly we can understand the reason for the failure of their lives.

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Bible records that God gave the commandment directly to Adam before He created Eve for Adam. So the word of God was given directly to Adam alone. But later in the beginning of 3^rd Chapter we read about the incident in which Eve speaks about God’s commandment to the serpent.

I feel that Adam might have told about the commandment of Eve once he accepted her into his life. But the point is Adam was the one who got the commandment before Eve got it.

So it was the responsibility of Adam to obey the God’s commandment. But what he did was entirely different than what was expected from him. He disobeyed God’s word and accepted the word of Eve when she asked him to eat the fruit of the tree which God told them not to eat.

You might be someone who was chosen by God to do His ministry and God might have revealed some of His plans to you. Then you might have got married or you might get married soon. You have to understand that for a successful marriage you have to obey God’s word in your life. You should tell about the God’s plan to your wife and you should hold the responsibility of leading her into the God’s plan through the grace of God.

My dear young friends, you might get married according to God’s will. But to live a successful marriage life for the glory of Lord you have to keep two things in mind.

1. God should be the head of your family and He should be your first priority.

2. You should obey God’s word and you should stay in His plan.

May God give you His grace to live a life pleasing to Him for His glory.

THAT'S WHY WE NEVER GAVE UP - A CLASSIC DEVOTIONAL BY RICK WARREN

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”

-2 Corinthians 4:15-17 NLT

The difference between faithful people and unfaithful people is unfaithful people give up at the first sign of difficulty. Faithful people keep on keeping on. Faithful people are determined. Faithful people are diligent. Faithful people are persistent. Faithful people don’t know how to quit. You know how a little acorn becomes an oak tree? An oak tree is just an acorn that refused to give up.

I’m not that smart, but I do know one thing: It is always too soon to quit. You are never a failure until you quit, and it’s always too soon to quit. God uses tough times to test our persistence.

When we started Saddleback, I preached the first sermon to one person: my wife. She thought it was too long. Thirty-one years later, she’s still saying my sermons are too long!

I thought when we started a church we’d get a building quickly. We went 15 years without a building. In the first 13 years of this church, we used 79 different facilities. You know how many times I felt like giving up? Just every Monday morning! But I don’t know how to quit. And God said, “Rick, if I never give you a building, would you still serve me?” And I said, “Absolutely!”

Saddleback grew to more than 10,000 people before we built our first building. How would you like to set up and take down a church for 10,000 people every week? There’s not a lot of glory in that. It’s just hard work. God uses tough times to test our persistence.

If you’re going through tough times right now, then this verse is for you: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:15-17 NLT)

God is more interested in what you’re becoming than what’s happening to you. He often allows trials, troubles, tribulations, and problems in your life to teach you diligence, determination, and character. The problem you’re going through right now? It’s a test of your faithfulness. Will you continue to serve God even when life stinks?

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

This devotional ©2013 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

THE GENTLE DEW - INSPIRATIONAL (AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

One day, a princess lost a dazzling diamond in a lawn. A shining dew drop was hanging from the tip of leaf. 

Both of them shone in the sun. The humble dew drop admired the diamond.

A beetle which was flying by spotted the royal stone. It bowed before the diamond and said, “I give you homage.”

“Thank you,” the diamond replied proudly.

When the beetle saw the dew drop he said, “I suppose that is your relative.”

The diamond said, “How can you compare me with this dew drop? It is not a lasting beauty.”

The beetle was taken aback and the dew drop was hurt.

Then a bird swooped down and pecked at the diamond. It said disappointingly, “I supposed that you were a drop of water but you are just a diamond. I am feeling very thirsty.”

The dew drop decided to help the bird. It asked, “Can I be of help to you?”

The bird said, “Thank You dear friend, you have saved my life.” The bird then drank it up and flew away, revived.

“…The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight” (1 Peter 3:4).

LYRICS THAT TOUCHED MY HEART - 8 (ONLY ONE LIFE)

SONG WRITTEN BY

Lanny Wolfe

It matters so little
How much you may own
The places you've been
Or the people that you've known
For it all comes to nothing
When placed at His feet
It is nothing to Jesus
Only memories to keep

You may take all the treasures
From far away lands
Take all the riches
You can hold in your hands
And take all the pleasures
That your riches can buy
But what will you have
When it's your time to die 

The days pass so swiftly
The months come and go
The years melt away
Like new falling snow
Spring turns to summer
And summer to fall
Autumn brings winter
Then death comes to all

Only one life, so soon it will pass
Only what's done for Christ will (ever) last
Only one chance to do His will
So give to Jesus all you days
It's the only life that pays
When you recall you have but one life

THOSE WHO WAIT FOR ME SHALL NEVER BE ASHAMED SAYS JESUS CHRIST TO YOU

“...I am the LORD, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” – Isaiah 49:23

I know a sister who used to come to the church in which I was a member few years ago. In her young age itself she got married and she had two daughters. Within few years her husband left her and she lived as a widow. She had no one to help her and she struggled a lot to raise her two daughters.

Even though her life was filled with so much of sorrow, she had put her trust in Jesus Christ and waited for a miracle to happen in her life. As her two daughters begun to grow her heart was filled with so much sorrow as she has to safeguard them and has to find a suitable life partner for them.

She used to always stay in the church and will be praying for everyone. Never ever she asked anyone to help her. Always she waited for Lord to meet her needs. Somehow through the grace of Jesus Christ her elder daughter finished a course in a pharmacy college and her younger daughter finished a computer course.

Soon they came to the age of getting married and she begun to pray a lot for her daughters. She had no regular income and she had no wealth. So everyone around her used to wonder that how she is going to get her daughters married.

Again she had put her trust in God and waited. Jesus Christ did a miracle in her life. A family approached her asking for her elder daughter and told her that they themselves will bear all the expenses for the marriage and they also told that they don’t need any dowry and all. Her heart filled with great joy.

I had two elder brothers and we arranged a reception for my elder brother in a big hotel in the city where we lived. In the same hotel where my brother’s reception was held, her elder daughter’s marriage was also held without the expense of single penny. In this way God raised her among the people around her.

Soon she looked for a life partner for her younger daughter and again God did a miracle in her life. Another family came and told her that they will spend half of the marriage expenses and will accept her daughter without any dowry.

Her heart filled with joy and soon her younger daughter also got married. Now they all are living happily praising God for His miracle. She was living like a widow with no one to help her. But as she waited for Lord, she was not ashamed. Jesus Christ blessed her abundantly and raised her.

My dear young friends, you might be waiting for so many years for God’s promise to get fulfilled in your life and because of that your heart might gone weary. You might be waiting for Lord to bless you but yet you might not have received the blessing that you have desired. Do not get discouraged for God is promising you this month that as you wait for Him, you will not be ashamed.

In this month, God will bless you with the desire of your heart. You will surely get the blessing which Jesus Christ has promised and for which you are waiting for so many days.

You might desire to have a blessing in your Spiritual life or it might be a promotion or it might be a child or it might be something related to your studies or it might be your admission or it might be something related to your family members. God’s promise will surely be fulfilled in your life in this month.

Just put your trust on Jesus Christ and wait for Him. He will surely bless you this month with His blessing and will raise you. You shall never be ashamed.

GOD'S PROMISE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY'13

Trust in the Lord and you will not be ashamed. He will rescue you, bless you and raise you. God be with you throughout this month. Have a blessed month

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD - TESTIMONY OF MRS. MERLIN MERCY

Praise be to God! I had completed my PG studies in the year 2010. I asked God to give me a job in the teaching field. My desire is to get a job in some place other than my native place. I prayed a lot that I should not get a job in my native place. But in an unexpected way I got an interview from a college which was very near to my home. I attended the interview and got selected. My parents were so happy because the salary in good and that too it was very near to our home. 

I also took it as God’s plan and I have joined there. I started working there for some days and then I realized that the college environment was very difficult to work. Being a fresher I went through mental torture, presenting the topics to director, chief and to some other authorities. Everyday I used to go to my home and study like a student. 

I cried to my parents that the college environment was very difficult to work. Later my parents understood my problem and asked me to give resignation. In that college, many of them used to resign for these kinds of tortures. When some one resigns immediately they will not be able to get the certificates. The college authorities make the people to go to court to get the certificate. So the people who were working there told me that I can’t resign because I worked there only for few days. They also told that if I resign I have to give my 3 months salary and even then I won’t be get my certificates. They also told me that there is no option left but to work there. 

With so much of sorrow in my heart I prayed to Jesus Christ to do a miracle in that issue. I cried a lot in His presence saying, “Lord, It is impossible for a man to help me in this issue but it is possible for you to do this. Help me to come out of this college with my certificates.” Lord spoke to me saying, “I will get you out from this college and I will give you a job in a place according to your heart’s desire.”

On hearing Lord’s answer my heart filled with a great peace and joy. I was so happy and the next day I went with my dad to that college and we spoke with the director. Through God’s grace the director permitted me to get relieved from the job and few days later I got my certificates back without any problem.

Even today you might be facing a tough situation. Do not get discouraged. Bible says in Matthew 19:26, “…With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”Yeah! To men it might be impossible but to our Lord it is possible. Jesus Christ will remove all the problems that you are facing in your life and will give you victory. You will get your heart’s desire.

GUEST ARTICLE - 4 (MARRIAGE - A SPECIAL GIFT FROM THE LORD)

Proverbs 18:22 says “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the Lord.”

As every other girl/boy, I also had many dreams about my future life partner during my college days. I was really excited about how my future life would be after my marriage. I was really worried about the same on seeing the problems some of my friends faced. I was told that we can always pray to God, how our future wife/husband should be. So I started praying about it by listing down so many points as what are all the qualities he/she should possess. But as I was praying, God said, “You wanted to be fit in the jar of particular size but I wanted you to be the perfect lid of the beautiful jar.”

From that day onwards I realised that “My Future Is In God's Hands, But I Hold the Key to Unlock It!” I started praying like, “Lord please mould me and make me, so that I could be the best for my future partner whom you have kept for me. Mold me and make me…we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

I want to encourage you with this illustration. Just imagine that we are hiding under His wings and someone is praying for us and searching for us. Atlast they realize that we are hidden in His presence and longs for us. Finally we become ONE in God’s presence. Wow!!!!!... How Amazing it is to be in God’s hand and in His plan.

[..hide me in the shadow of your wings.(Psalm 17:8) May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.(Ruth 2:12) May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. (Psalm 27:5) How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:7) Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 63:7)]

Lord’s word says whoever finds a wife, finds good (A wise - A good wife; one that deserves the name, and performs the duty of that relation) and finds favor (Favor - Obtains her not by his own diligence, but by God's good providence) from the Lord.

Let us wait in the Lord, focusing on Lord Jesus Christ in every walk of our life. And by His grace we will receive this special favor from the Lord.

Let us offer this prayer in Faith:

Our loving father Lord we come before your throne with praise and thanksgiving. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Help me to be under your wings and wait till the day you have appointed for my life to receive the special gift from you for the rest of our life. Amen.

(Note: My dear young friends, this article was written by Ms. Jenifer Mery. She is working as a counsellor in a Christian University. GHG team thank Ms. Jenifer Mery for the article. May God bless her abundantly. If you wish to send your article, mail it to goldenhandsofgrace@gmail.com)